Ed Reed wants to play this season

Reed remains a free agent after ending last season with the New York Jets, but the 35-year old says he is preparing as if he is going to play this season.

"Yes. Definitely still preparing to play," Reed said Sunday at former Baltimore Ravens teammate Lardarius Webb's charity softball game at M&T Bank Stadium. "If I wasn't, you would have heard something by now. But yeah, the offseason is going great. I'm spending time with my family. Not in any rush at all."

Reed is coming off a difficult season.

After spending the first 11 seasons of his career with the Ravens, the likely future first-ballot Hall of Famer signed with the Houston Texans last offseason. But Reed missed the first two games while recovering from offseason hip surgery, was unproductive when healthy, clashed with the coaching staff in Houston, lost his starting job and was eventually released.

When the Texans parted ways with Reed in November, he had played in seven games for them without recording a single interception or pass deflection.

However, he did sign with the Jets shortly thereafter and had three interceptions in New York's final four games.

"I know that I can still play," Reed said. "It's just a matter of the right fit."

Reed does not plan to participate in any team's training camp, but he is optimistic he will get an opportunity at some point during the season.

"I sat and watched the league last year from a different perspective, and I learned a lot," Reed said, "and I saw they had teams that needed safeties in the latter part of the year. So right now, I'm just about taking care of me and getting myself back to [where] there's no question on my part."

Reed said he is spending most of his time in Georgia and Louisiana and said he is training in both places, although it seems he is doing as much as mentoring as he is working out.

"I spend a lot of time [in Georgia] coaching young guys and having young guys come to Atlanta and work out with me and see how I maintain my body for so long the right way," Reed said.

Reed did express an interest in getting into coaching once his career is done. He also said he would welcome the opportunity to re-join the Ravens' organization, whether that's as a coach, a scout or a consultant. But for right now, Reed still wants to play.

If that opportunity doesn't come, Reed plans on just walking away from football quietly.

"I don't have to put in any papers," Reed said. "I don't have to sign anyone's contract. I don't have to go to any organization. Ed Reed and Barry Sanders, they did it their way."